


Superconductor

by NadiaHart



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Castiel/Dean Winchester UST, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Superhero Dean Winchester, Superheroes, coworkers- sorta, guy in the chair Cas, hero support Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-25 11:40:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18260552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NadiaHart/pseuds/NadiaHart
Summary: In a world where Superheroes are known, Dean Winchester lives his life under the alias of Soter; defender of the weak, protector of the innocent. With his Support Tech, Helios remotely keeping tabs on him, Dean's got this superhero gig in the bag. Or at least he thinks he does. When a new threat appears on the horizon, and Dean's left weak and injured there's only one person who can come to his aid. But is a shut-in like Helios up for the task?





	1. Hunted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vaesse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaesse/gifts).



> This fic is for Vaesse on the [Profound Bond Discord Server](https://discord.gg/GGbw2NP) (come join us). Vaesse won a fic from me when we celebrated the servers 1st birthday! I hope this is everything you were looking for when you prompted me with the wounded hero/weaker helper trope. I know I went a bit off the rails, I hope you can forgive me. It just sorta... happened.
> 
> None of this would have ever been finished if it wasn't for [@MaggieMaybe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggieMaybe160) who jumped in to beta and helped me up the hurt to further the plot. This was supposed to be under 5k, and no matter how hard Maggie tried to keep me there.... I obviously missed, by a lot. She still stuck with me and finished out the fic. 
> 
> Also, many thanks to [@Darmys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darmys/pseuds/Darmys) for Alpha reading for me, and the wonderful [@PallasPerilous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PallasPerilous/pseuds/PallasPerilous) for helping me knit together the plot holes. You guys are rock stars. Give them a follow, you wont be disappointed.

Dean wakes up to static in his headset, the earpiece buzzing and popping. He takes stock of his injuries as the words crackling over the line slowly register to his addled brain.

“Soter, come in.” The voice is panicked, barely contained hysteria. “Please, please,” the voice whispers, misery in each word. “I can’t find your signal, I can’t find it…. You’re not on my maps, you’re not anywhere, please... _Dean_ ,”

“Hey,” Dean coughs, blood drips down his chin. “Don’t call me that.”

“Fuck, fuck.” Helios practically sobs over the line, “Thank fuck, where are you? Why aren’t you showing up on my system? I…can’t track you, I can barely hear you.” The sound of his fingers flying over what Dean always assumes is a few hundred keyboards fills the earpiece.

“I... I don’t know. I don’t know where I am. I got… captured. I… I’m not healing. None of my powers are… Everything's muted.”

The silence that follows Dean’s statement is shocking. The line crackles over dead air and Dean can just picture Helios staring, unseeing, at the bay of monitors and hacked surveillance camera feeds that make up the command center of his little setup. At least, that’s what Dean’s picturing, he’s never actually met the guy, after all. No, he’s only had that beautiful voice to fuel his often, rather conflicting fantasies about the man who’s always watching out for him.

“What do you mean you’re not healing?” The momentary silence vanishes as Helios picks up clattering against the keys with renewed fervor.

“I… I’m just not,” Dean groans and the world blurs, pain whites out his vision and a memory surges to the surface. Helios’ voice asking how he feels, promising to find him, fades away under the breath of something darker, something more sinister.

 

“How does it feel?” The disembodied voice echoes around Dean’s head, bouncing; bouncing from one wall to the other and back again. He can almost envision the soundwaves, colliding mid-air, ripples distorting against one another until the words vibrate into dissonance. The resulting sound makes all the hair on Dean’s body stand on end. “How does it feel to be prey? Quite the change from the usual role you play as the Super in these sorts of scenarios. The Council certainly does love when their heroes make an entrance don’t they? But what happens after, hum? Where are they now? Who is looking out for the little Super caught up in something much larger than their powers can manage? So many wonderful questions, Soter, yet so many missing answers.”

Dean struggles against whatever strange binding is keeping him tied to the pole behind him but it burns. He can feel the grating sting through the special synthetic compounds of his suit: his wrists, ankles, around his neck and thighs; it’s hard to breathe. Dean’s not sure what this guy's motive is, but he seems to have some sort of vendetta against The Council. Dean can’t blame it, really. The council kinda sucks, a faceless bureaucratic conglomerate of individuals sending Supers out on missions, taking the credit for keeping the world ‘safe’ all from the sanctity of their desks. It works, sometimes. Supers save the day, The Council runs clean up and helps protect the Super’s identities. It’s a system, and it works, but nothing's perfect. Dean grits his teeth.

“There, there.” The voice coos and the distortion makes Dean’s eyes cross. Pain blossoms in his inner ear and he dips his chin, trying to bring his shoulders up to muffle some of the noise. The thing around his neck constricts, biting into his flesh and he jerks back gasping for air.

“Don't struggle, Soter,” the voice says. Closer than before, softer yet, but just as disorientating. “It will only make things worse in the long run.”

If Dean can get this guy monologuing, and he seems the type to enjoy the sound of his own voice—no matter the strange effect it seems to have on Dean’s senses—it might buy him enough time to break free.

“Oh yeah?” Dean croaks, his voice is raw and weak from whatever’s choking him, his arms flex but his super strength has no effect. The bonds around his wrists constrict, curling tighter. “How so?”

“I think it’s quite humorous you chose an alias that is, in all ways and means, supposed to be the personification of safety, preservation, deliverance from harm? That you named yourself after some ancient God?” The entity laughs, it’s a broken distorted thing that again triggers something in Dean’s memory. A fleeting feeling, he can’t hold onto it and it’s gone before Dean can make any sense of it. “Hardly. You are reckless. Thoughtless. And you are getting in my way. Just who are you saving, Soter? With your speed and strength, the healing and super senses? All these powers that you so cling to? Who are you helping? Certainly not me, not him...”

Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Dean’s vision swims, the dimly lit warehouse he’s in blurs along its edges, his vision sways, doubling over itself and refuses to focus. Something is seriously wrong. He’s dizzy. His mouth floods with saliva as the urge to vomit comes upon him fast.

“But, as I said, those worries will all soon be a thing of the past. I’ve got to do this, to change the equation. It all has to happen in order, I’ve seen the end, the end of… well, everything. It’s beautiful, really, but not what I want. You see, I’m going to change it, and you’re the key to everything.”

Whatever this guy says next is lost under the sound of Dean’s last meal coming up and splattering all over the concrete. His boots are covered in what looks like chili, but Dean’s sure he had shawarma for lunch.

Helios is going to kill him—if this guy doesn’t do it first—he always gets so pissy when Dean’s suit comes back damaged. ‘ _The suit can’t heal itself, Dean, not like you can. You need to be more careful! You’re not Han Solo, you can’t always shoot first!”_

“Shhh, shhh. There we go, just breathe.” A hand cups his jaw and lifts Dean’s head, pulling him from his thoughts. “Stay with me now.” Dark void like eyes flash in the low light and Dean can’t look away. There is something about them, something familiar that pricks at the back of Dean’s mind.

“There you are. I need you to stay conscious, need your heart to keep going crazy, keep him looking for you….” The voice fades away and for a moment Dean can’t hear anything: not his commlink, not even his own thoughts. He strains to hear the familiar, comforting voice of Helios in his headset. Craves his soothing snark during times like these. But there’s nothing, and then there is only pain.

Dean gasps for breath, his eyes unfocused, head spinning. His hands spasm where they are tied above his head, reaching for and grasping at nothing. Pain lances through his ribs and blood gushes down his side, soaking him in sticky warmth. “It was easier than I thought to get you here, to capture you. The hard part was, well... The hard part is… you’ll see; if you survive. I hope you survive Soter. If he can save you he can save us all...”

Unable to move, Dean’s body sags, pain burns along his nerve endings and he realizes he’s _really_ not healing. It’s never been like this before. He can anticipate danger, a sixth sense, tingling, in the back of his mind. A prickle along his skin, guiding him to where he needs to be, who he needs to help. Along with his super strength, speed, healing, and Helios watching his back, his eyes in the literal sky, Dean had thought… he hoped they were helping. That they _are_ helping, but now….

“Stop. Stop,” He breaths, but he’s not actually sure any sound comes out of his mouth. The pain in his side becomes sharp and grating. He can feel his ribs jerking in his chest as the serrated edge of the blade drags back out of his body.

“I can’t, I am sorry. Things have to change. You have to know there are more dangerous monsters in the dark than me. I am just the beginning, you have to be ready. You both have to be ready.”

Behind his mask, Dean always thought he was safe; that these powers he’d been gifted meant he was different, better...that his life had a mission, a purpose.

“Pay attention Soter. I’m helping you.”

“C–coulda fooled me,” Dean grinds out passed his teeth. His mouth tastes like blood; tingy with copper and uncomfortably hot.

The voice sighs, tired and frustrated, like Dean’s the one not making sense. Like Dean’s the psycho who’s got him strung up and poked through like a pin-cushion. The blade glints in the light before it slashes across Dean’s face. The pain is fleeting compared to the wound in his side, which, much to Dean’s dismay, still isn’t healing.

“You could be so much more.” The blade bites into his bicep, across his right thigh, deep enough that his leg goes instantly numb. “You need to be more.”

Normally, Dean likes knives––he’s getting really good at throwing them, even if he believes in nonlethal interference in criminal activity. But right now, this knife, Dean hates it. “You are the answer, and he is holding you back. This is the only way. You must overcome your weaknesses. I’m going to help you do just that.”

“Really? You got a funny way of showing it.”

“This isn’t about you, Soter. It’s so much bigger.”

“Really? C–considering how you’ve got me trussed up so pretty here… I figured I–I was special.”

“Oh, but you are!” The voice ripples, dancing back and forth in short pulses, one word at a time crashing into Dean’s ears with a burst of sound so loud that it makes him nauseous. “You’ll see.”

Pain spreads up his spine and he pulls his eyes open long enough to scream up at the rafters. After that, there’s nothing.

 

“I’ll find you, I’ll find you.” Helios’ voice is back in his ear, more strained than ever. Dean grins before the pain has him sucking a breath through his teeth. That voice, back in his ear, right where it belongs. It soothes Dean, knowing Helios is out there, watching over for him. “I promise, Dean. Come back. Say something, please. _Dean_.”

“Hey,” Dean wheezes, the grin fighting its way back onto his face “I told you not to call me that,” He pants, “I… I’m not sure, where I am. I think…. I blacked out.” Dean tries to get to his feet but he’s dizzy and light headed. Moving hurts, like … a lot, so he decides against it for now.. “It might be from blood loss.”

“Blood loss?” Helios grunts in frustration and something begins to beep over the commlink. A sound like that would normally aggravate Dean’s hearing but this is no more than a minor annoyance. Something is very wrong with him.

“Yeah, got cut up pretty bad. Lost signal, couldn’t hear you.” Dean drags himself upright, from where he’s slumped on the floor. He pulls the frayed strands regular old rope from around his wrists and neck. Was this all that was restraining him? This basic piece of rope kept his strength in check? Dean puffs out a breath wincing as his side strains.

“I… I heard everything. Everything, you couldn’t hear me? Damn it.” Helios curses and Dean smiles. He doesn’t curse often. Usually, he’s really composed. Tonight must be special.

“Hey watch your mouth,” Dean jokes, but the effort it takes to laugh is just too much. His head hurts and gently he prods at the back of it, a bloody lump throbs along his crown.

“De–Soter…”

“Helios,” Dean says just as somberly. There is so much there between them, so much Dean doesn’t want to give up on just yet. It’s heavy, and even though they’ve never met face to face, Helios has been with Dean during his darkest time. He means so much more to Dean than what The Council has him listed as: Super Support and if this is his last moment, if he never gets out of this shitty warehouse Dean needs to tell him….

“I GOT YOU!”

Dean flinches at the loud sound and then hisses out in pain, a hand flying to cup the wound on his ribs. “You... You got me?” The edges of his vision are going fuzzy again, blurry and dark.

“I’m coming for you,” Helios says and Dean opens his mouth to argue. Helios never leaves his lab; he’s not a Super. He doesn’t have powers, he’s vulnerable.

Dean’s always feels torn whenever he pictured Helios, it’s really hard to control his fantasies when all he has to go on is that gravel rough, melted chocolate voice purring into his headset all the time. Dean’s tried to keep himself in check tried to remember that Helios is _his_ Support, and it’s completely inappropriate for Dean to be having vivid sexy computer hacker-vigilante meets Q from James Bond, fantasies about him.

At this point he’s worked really hard to draw up the visage of an overweight cave dweller, hunched over a bay of glowing monitors, surrounded by empty energy drink cans and food scraps; isolated in some dark, dingy basement. It works, most days.

The only thing that keeps Dean from really believing the latter stereotype is Helios’ deep, beautiful voice, his unending snark and the way he holds Dean’s attention across any of the often long rambling topics they chat about on stakeouts.  

“Hold on, Dean.”

“Hey…” Dean breathes as the world goes black.


	2. Limited Inhibitions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2, couldn't wait. Hope you like it.
> 
> warnings in the end notes

Turns out, Dean’s pretty far off with Helios’ set up. He wakes in a brightly lit and very clean, almost futuristic medical bay; spread out on a gel pad topped table, bright white light pouring down on him. Hovering just above his body is a translucent hologram of himself; the lines of his veins and organs mapped out. His wounds are slashes of jagged red across the blue form. It looks worse than it feels. Actually, he feels pretty good right now.

“Remain calm.” A soft computerized voice prompts as Dean sucks a slow, pained breath and looks around. “You are safe. Please, try to relax.”

“Sure, lady,” Dean grumbles, already trying to swing his legs over the edge of the table. As he sits up, the hologram disappears with a dull _whump_ sound. Dean blinks, caught under a momentary dizzy spell. Lifting a hand and pressing it to his forehead, he tries to make the room stop swaying. It’s not until two strong hands are guiding him back down onto the gel pad that Dean realizes he was falling. 

“I am pretty sure you were advised to not only remain calm, but also to relax.”

Dean knows that voice, “Helios.”

“Soter.”

“Nice place you’ve got here,” Dean says trying to squint through the bright lights shining down on him. A shadow moves out of the corner of his eye and Helios’ chuckle has Dean tilting his head back to look over his shoulder. Helios is not what he’s expecting, that’s for sure. 

“How long have we been a team?” Dean asks to Helios’ broad, obviously toned back. 

“Five years now, I think,” Helios says, without turning from the display he’s checking. There's no doubting that voice and the way it pours like warm honey over Dean's frazzled senses.

He’s wearing a lab coat, long and white, that does nothing to hide the way his back muscles move with fluid grace as his long fingers tap, tap, tap over a digital display. Dean can’t say he’s thrilled at the prospect of Helios  _ not _ being a cave dwelling computer nerd because in reality, Helios is every hopeful, liquid-warm, fantasy Dean’s ever had about the man, come to life. The lab coat certainly isn’t helping.

He’s got a mop of messy black hair standing up on all ends atop his head like it’s been statically charged. He’s not overweight, or mousy like the movies would lead you to believe a tech nerd would be. No he’s broad and tall and tan skinned. He’s wearing a  _ lab coat _ over  _ skinny _ jeans and converse, and a well worn AC/DC t-shirt. Frankly, the dichotomy between what Dean knows of Helios and the man standing before him is striking.

Dean is honestly not prepared for this new information. He was content, if not happy, thinking Helios was just some, possibly, sloppy dude sitting behind a bay of computers guiding Dean into and out of danger. He’s really not sure what to do with the information that Helios is actually super hot.

An alarm starts to beep and Dean pulls his attention away from Helios’ back. He closes his eyes and tries to get his breathing under control. 

“That’s ….strange,” Helios says, and a shadow falls over Dean’s face. “Your blood pressure is elevated. Can you open your eyes for me?”

Taking a slow breath Dean opens his eyes. And immediately blinks them closed again. “Hey, what the hell!”

“Quiet please,” Helios pries one of Dean’s eyes open and swipes a blinding light over his pupil. It’s gone in an instant and so is the shadow of Helios' body. Dean blinks until his vision clears.

“You’re not healing,”

“But, I feel okay,” Dean counters lifting his arms and flexing his fingers. He feels good, even as he watches the cut along his forearm open up and start sluggishly bleeding again. He feels okay, he feels… nothing really, well, maybe kinda sleepy.

“Feeling sleepy is normal,” Helios says and Dean frowns, he’s sure he didn’t say that out loud. “And, you’re not feeling any pain because I’ve got you on a pretty serious cocktail of medications right now.” 

Helios is back at the monitor, his fingers gently sliding over the glass face, an outline of a male form rotating with each swipe of his hands. They’re broad, strong hands, with long fingers and prominent veins. A computer junkie shouldn’t have hands like that.

Helios clears his throat and shifts from one foot to another. “I should probably warn you, your inhibitions might be slightly hindered.”

“I doubt that,” Dean chuckles and the laughter dries up in his throat as Helios turns around and Dean gets his first ever look at the man's face. The alarm blares again and Helios’s eyes widen, darting to the monitor then right back to Dean’s face. A blush colors his cheeks and Dean grins. He’s beautiful.

“Thank you,” Helios says and turns to busy himself over Dean’s thigh. 

“For what?” Dean asks, propping himself up on his elbows, sitting up a bit to watch Helios' work. He’s quick and efficient, his hands moving with long practiced confidence, and Dean has a momentary spike of jealousy. How many other Supers does Helios work with? How many other people has he stitched up?

“I used to work with one other Super, but... not for a long time now. It’s… it’s just you.” 

Warmth suffuses Dean’s drug-addled brain at those words and he smirks. Good, those hands should only be on him. He’s not good at sharing and he’s feeling pretty content with the idea of having beautiful, intelligent, Helios all to himself.

“I...I didn’t realize you felt this way…” Helios says, his fingers gently gripping Dean’s abused thigh. 

“Felt what way?” Dean asks, flopping back down onto the table. He’s bone weary and confused. It’s been a long time since his body has had to heal without his powers. How do normal people live like this? What if his powers never come back; is he going to have allergies? Get the flu? Pain blossoms in the back of his head and Dean groans.

“Hey,” Helios is there, leaning over him, bright blue eyes a beacon for Dean’s attention. “You’re going to be okay. I’m going to fix this.”

“You’ve got pretty eyes.” Dean lifts his hand and runs his fingertip down Helios’ nose. It's straight and broad and Dean wants to touch more of him because his skin is soft and velvet warm. A hand wraps around Dean’s wrist pulling it away from where he’s caressing Helios’ cheek. Dean grins, feeling loopy and loose. 

“Dean,”

“You’re not supposed to call me that,” Dean grins wider, his voice light and sing-song. Helios’ hand is warm and he likes how strong it feels wrapped around his wrist. Dean wonders if Helios could restrain him. If he’d press Dean down, keep him still, touch him roughly yet controlled. Just like this, but all over...

“My god,” Helios groans, dropping Dean’s arm like he’s been burned. 

It’s alarming how heavy his arm is as it flops back to the table. “It’s not fair,” Dean yawns. “I don’t know your name.”

“Yes, you do!” Helios says, leaning over Dean to prod at the wound in his side. That hurts, yeah, that fucking hurts.

_ “AAAHOOOW _ !” Dean shouts more affronted, than anything else. His eyes widen with surprise at the sudden shock of pain, and how the throb lingers without his healing kicking in. He’s already leaning up and away from Helios’ probing fingers. No matter how nice those fingers are, or how badly he’d like them pressed against other parts of his body.

“My fingers are… They are just normal fingers, Dean.”

“What?”

“My hands, they are just…  _ hands _ .” Helios looks frustrated and Dean can’t imagine why.  _ Wait, _ can he read minds?

“I cannot read minds, and you know my name!”

“You can’t?! ... I do?... Wait, how do you.... How are you?”

“Because, as I tried to explain earlier, the medication… it makes you…” Helios groans, running his hands through his hair. Dean is enraptured by the motion. His hair looks soft, and Dean wants to touch it.

How has Dean gone five long years knowing Helios, working with Helios, taking orders and guidance from the deep, growly voice purring into his headset, and never once met the man? It’s wrong. It’s so, so wrong. So much wasted time. 

Helios cradles his face in his hands and groans. The sound shivers through Dean and he bites his lip. No one should be able to make a sound as sexy as that.

“I’m going to put you back to sleep,” Helios says suddenly, head snapping up; he strides quickly around the table.

“What, why?”

“Because you won't stop talking and I… I can’t… I can’t!”

“I’m barely saying anything, but fine. Whatever.” Dean’s side is still throbbing, and objectively, he knows Helios has to go back in and tend to the wound; make sure it’s going to heal properly. If Dean’s being given a chance to sleep through the worst of it, he’s not going to complain. He’s never been able to go under anesthesia before, and he’s heard people have really vivid dreams… 

Stealing a glance at where Helios’ facing away from him, Dean wonders if he’ll be lucky enough to dream about him. Maybe what those full lips would feel like against this own. Would they be as soft as his hair looks?

Something crashes to the ground to his left and Dean strains to see what's going on. Helios is standing, arms hung limply at his side, hands clenching and relaxing. He takes a slow, even breath and kneels down to fix the tray he tipped over. 

Dean leans over to watch the play of muscles along his back, heat washing through him in waves and it’s not the first time he’s glad his suit has a built-in cup to protect his nether bits. The alarm blares again and Dean finally realizes that it’s his heart monitor. He’d be embarrassed because every time he gets  _ distracted _ by Helios, the damn alarm gives him away, but he’s not. 

“Yes! It does, but so does your mouth!” Helios says, standing with the tray and setting it on a small rolling cart next to the surgical table.

“What?” Dean asks. Helios licks his lower lip staring somewhere around Dean’s shins. The motion is alluring and Dean can’t look away from his mouth. It’s a good mouth with full, if slightly chapped, lips. 

“Please, Dean,” Helios practically sobs, his hands lifting into the air, reaching for Dean but stopping abruptly and falling back at his side.

“Tell me your name?” Dean asks, cocking his head to the side. 

Helios sighs tiredly and lifts a syringe before moving towards Dean’s IV bag. “It’s Castiel.”

“What? No, that’s not real? That’s not a real name?” Dean frowns, angry Helios would lie to him. “If you don’t want to tell me your name, fine, but don’t make one up.”

“That’s what you said the first time I told you.”

“I did?”

“Yes, then you decided to call me Cas.”

“Cas?” Dean tries out the name and, fuck it feels good against his tongue. He wonders what else of Cas’ would feel good against his tongue. Maybe his meds are making him horny? Nah, he’s usually horny and being around Cas really isn’t helping things. He’s exactly what Dean normally goes for. Plus, the _lab coat._

A choked noise from his side has Dean glancing at the other man, his hands are poised at the infusion spot, holding the IV tube between trembling fingers, but he looks frozen to the spot.

“Why can’t I remember?” Dean prompts, and it seems to break Cas out of his stupor, he inserts the syringe and Dean feels heat slide down his arm and spread across his chest.

“I’m not sure. I’m not sure of a lot of things right now, but I will be, soon.”

There is such determination in Cas’ voice that Dean pulls his eyes around and makes them focus on the man standing at his side. He looks at Cas, really looks at him, how he’s so careful when he gently pokes yet another needle into the skin by Dean’s wound and cool numbness blossoms around the small painful prick. 

Prick,  _ heh. _ He’d let Cas prick him anytime. 

Again, the heart monitor blares to life and this time Cas snarls, grabbing the wires and ripping the sticky tabs from Dean’s chest with such force they fling out and smack Cas in the face. One wraps around his neck, another gets stuck to his cheek and Cas sags, closing his eyes.

“This is too much,” Cas sighs, slowly peeling the tab off his face and dropping it into the trash. “I don’t deserve this…”

“Sorry,” Dean slurs, his tongue sluggish, his lips heavy. His brain’s slowly giving into the pull of the medication. It's scary, to slip under like this. He wants to stay awake, he wants to spend time with Helios. No, Cas. He wants to spend time with Cas. Watch his face when he laughs at Dean’s dumb jokes. See if the chuckles he’s been hearing through his headset for the last five years match the crinkles around Cas’ eyes.

“I know, I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

Dean feels fingers sliding through his hair, a hand slips into his own and squeeze.

“I’ll fix this, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> depiction of wounds, mention of needles/syringe and IV drugs in a hospital like setting.


	3. Latent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely comments you've been leaving. I am reading them all and each and every single one makes me smile. I love all the speculations <3 
> 
> additional warnings at the end

The next time Dean wakes up, he surges off the table, his feet slapping cold against the clean, white floor. His mind repeating, danger, danger, danger on loop. His hands are up, fists held out in front of him and his heart is racing in his chest. It’s a few moments of blinking at his surroundings before Dean remembers where he is, and that he’s not in any danger.

Everything hurts, not just the huge gash on his side, but everything. His feet, his fingers, the hair on his head; each individual strand  _ hurts _ . It takes a second but eventually the pain wins and Dean sags, groaning, and rests his hip against the table.

“Cas!” He shouts, staggering a bit. Damn, his head is swimming. Dean stumbles over to one of the smooth plastic-molded machines. Everything is so high-tech, he’s amazed Cas can manage all of these devices at once. Dean lifts his hand, but it swipes right through the little hologram projecting the wound on his side. 

“Don’t touch that, please.” 

Dean spins around and almost falls, his hand flying out and connecting with the device. The momentum and unfamiliar weakness in his limbs has him almost knocking it over. Cas makes it to Dean’s side before anything topples over.

“I’m studying the compound that was introduced into your system,” Cas says, his hand warm on Dean’s elbow as he guides him back towards the exam table. 

“Yeah?” Dean croaks, licking his lips. His voice is raw and he’s not sure if it’s from the sudden and surprisingly intense wave of arousal Cas’ touch inspires in him, or the fact he hasn’t had a drink in... who knows how long?

“Yes,” Cas confirms, helping Dean to sit and then walking past him to another desk made up entirely of buttons and screens. He’s still in the lab coat and the way it hugs his shoulders and futters around his thighs is doing  _ things _ to Dean. Looking down, Dean sags in relief when he realizes he’s not wearing a heart monitor. In fact, he’s not wearing much more than a pair of white lycra bike shorts, or at least that’s what they look like. 

“Yes, I changed you; your suit was compromised.”

“I wish I was awake for that,” Dean thinks, as he examines the precise stitches keeping the cut on his thigh closed. 

With a deep sigh, Cas says, “you’re still speaking your thoughts I see.” He steps over to a glass front refrigerator. Inside are shelves of small vials and trays of specimens, or at least that’s what Dean assumes is in there; he’s not a scientist. 

“I am?” Dean blinks and then his eyes go wide with shock. “Like….  _ all _ my thoughts, or just a few of them…”

Cas’ shoulders raise in tension and Dean drops his head back groaning. “Cas... Helios… I am... I am so sorry.”

Cas nods, shuffling around the medical bay, pushing the little cart and putting the things he collects on it. It’s kinda charming and Dean presses his mouth closed tightly because, this time, he recognizes the urge to voice his thoughts. 

“Look, it’s been… awhile, since… Hell, since I’ve been intimate with someone. It’s been….  _ fuck _ , years since I...“ Dean falters, biting his tongue to stop the words ‘ _ fallen for someone like this’,  _ from spilling out of his mouth. “I’ve been really, terribly inappropriate… If you don’t want to work with me anymore, I understand.” Dean licks his lips, the lump in his throat hardening the more he thinks about never having Helios’ dry humor rumbling through his headset again. “And while it would really, _ really  _ suck, I can contact The Council and get reassigned….”

“I… I was worried you’d feel that way. It’s fine, really. What could I expect? People like you and people like me... we don’t…. We don’t  _ fit.” _

He and Cas are both flushed and talking over one another, their words blurring and neither of them are making much sense. Actually, none of this is making any sense. Dean shakes his head, and  _ that’s _ a bad idea, if he’s ever had one. He grips the edges of the table for stability until the room stops doing summersaults. Slowly Cas’ words register to him.

“What?” Dean blinks, confused. What the fuck? “Cause, no! Seriously? What the fuck. I might not be the smartest guy around, but I’m a catch. I’m funny and hot, and shit…  _ shit, _ I'm saying this out loud again aren’t I?”

This time, Cas laughs, “Yes, yes you are. And you’re all of those things. I just, Dean….” 

Cas is holding a pair of rubber gloves between his fingers, twisting them, stretching them, it makes Dean’s heart pound. 

“I… I have so many…” Cas stops, his face pinched and he pulls and releases the gloves so they snap back and leave a red little welt against his hand. Dean wants to whine at the sight; he wants to go over and soothe the mark with his tongue, but he doesn't. Instead, he presses his lips together, careful to not focus on anything other than what Cas is trying to tell him.  “Dean. I have so…. so many feelings.”

Dean chuckles, “You? No way,” his grin slowly slips from his lips at the devastated look on Cas’ face. “Cas, man. Tell me... Tell me what I can do to make this oka…”

“I love you!” Cas blurts out, his face flushed, his eyes narrowed like he’s angry. As if Dean pried the confession out of him by force. A small, brief electrical shock tingles Dean’s fingers where they’re wrapped around the edge of the exam table. Cas’ expression crumples and he twists and snaps the gloves again, his knuckles white from the strain. 

“Jesus,” Dean runs a hand through his hair; his muscles protest and the gash on his side pulls against his stitches. 

“I know, I know,” Cas tugs on his hair, pacing back and forth in front of Dean, his scuffed and well-worn converse poking out from the end of his black jeans. “Me, the person who can’t even leave his house, in love with Soter!  _ The _ Soter. Who am I kidding? Who do I even think I am?  _ Fuck. _ I should have reported myself to The Council years ago…...  _ Dean...” _

He so looks broken and Dean’s heart flutters in his chest. This can’t be happening. He tips his head back and laughs. His chest hurts from it, his side pulling and aching but he can’t stop. There’s no way Cas feels what Dean feels. Shit just doesn’t work out like that in reality. “Holy shit.”

“It’s not funny!” Cas shouts, stomping his foot and he is, he’s adorable, and Dean is so happy he can’t begin to put it into words. This couldn’t have worked out better. 

“You’re... happy?”

Dean’s laughter chokes off and he stares at Cas. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.” Dean reaches out and grabs Cas, tugging him gently until he’s standing between Dean’s spread feet. There’s a faded bee sticker on the rubber front of his Converse and Dean smiles down at it. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” Dean asks.

“I mean,” Cas says, his voice breathless and airy in a way Dean’s never heard before. “You’ve been telling me “secrets” all night, why stop now?” He actually uses air quotes and now Dean will always imagine every snarky line coming through his headset as having air quotes around it. 

“Dude, Cas...I’ve been in love with you, with your voice, your mind, your personality... for  _ years _ ,” Dean confesses, sliding his hand up to cup the back of Cas’ neck. “You have no idea how many times I’ve gotten off to the memory of your voice, especially when you’re mad at me. Fuck, I’d do the stupidest shit on a mission just to hear your growl my name.”

“R… really?”

“Really.”

“But, I’m nothing. I’m just... _ support _ ,” Cas argues, his eyes bright, vivid, but unbelieving. “I… I can’t, I can’t leave here. I don’t function well in normal society…. I don’t understand it.”

“Okay, first of all, none of us function in normal society. Do you know I crushed a can of peas in the supermarket the other day? Totally by accident. You think anyone out there is doing better? You’re wrong. And not for nothing, but I don’t think you’ve ever just been  _ support _ to me,” Dean says rubbing his thumb against the soft skin behind Cas’ ear. “Getting assigned to you after my brother went missing was… I think it was the thing that saved me; kept me sane. Fighting with you in my ear, arguing with you, getting to know you.  _ God _ , there were times I…. Look, Cas, I don’t care about whatever you think your imperfections are; you’re always there for me. You came for me, didn’t you? You left here and you saved me?”

“Yeah,” Cas says biting his lip, a smile curving the corners of his mouth. “I couldn’t leave you alone, in pain. I had to go. I had to get you; bring you back. Save you.” 

“Yeah.” Dean breathes, gently pulling Cas closer by the hand he has wrapped around the back of his neck. 

Cas doesn’t resist, his eyes going wide before drooping, soft and welcoming. Dean watches as they flutter fully closed, long dark lashes resting against the smooth skin of his face. Cas’ lips part and Dean leans in, swamped with sensation as Cas’ hands come up to press softly against Dean’s chest. He can feel each warm, strained, puff of Cas’ breath. Dean’s lips tingle in anticipation, and he fights the urge to lick them as they lean smoothly towards one another.

_ Bloop, Bleep; Bloop, Bleep. _

_ “Helios,”  _ The disembodied A.I. voice from earlier chimes suddenly.

Cas sucks in a breath, leaning back from Dean and blinking his eyes open. 

“I–I’m here, Minerva.” Cas clears his throat, runs his hands roughly down the front of his loose fitting t-shirt and, in no way covertly, adjusts his dick before dipping his head and turning away.

_ “Helios; analysis of unidentified compound complete. Chemical structure isolated and vaccine proposed.” _

Cas grins, rushing over to one of the large glass panels. “Excellent, Minerva. What is the E.T.A. until vaccine completion?”

_ “Helios, estimated production time: two hours, thirty-seven minutes, forty-eight seconds.” _

Dean leans back against the table watching Cas flit around the medical bay, his excitement palpable. He swipes up one of the glowing surfaces and flings his arm out to the side. From his fingers, a hologram jumps to life, a chemical structure displayed.

“I’ve never seen anything like this!” Cas exclaims, eyes shining with wonder. “Some of these elements are mutated. I have no idea how they are holding their bonds.” 

He speaks softly but quickly, his voice low and full of wonder. Dean’s heard that voice before but always whispered through miles and miles of distance, distorted by electronics. Now, up close and personal, the velvet purr slips into Dean’s ears and makes him shiver with renewed arousal. 

His hand falls to his crotch and absently he touches himself over his shorts as Cas messes with the hologram. The blue and yellow light casts sharp shadows on Cas’ face, accentuating the angle of his cheekbones and the sharpness of his nose. It makes his eyes look like they’re glowing.

“It’s reacting directly with your genetic mutation,” Cas whispers, his eyes flicking from the compound to another computer. He rushes over and attacks the keyboard. Dean can’t keep up with how quickly he types or how fast the screens flicker in and out of sight. The monitor glitches and Cas curses. 

“Minerva, divert power from living quarters to MedBay One.”

_ “Power diversion complete in; Three. Two. _

“Shield your eyes, Dean,” Cas warns and Dean gets his hand off his dick and up over his eyes just in time. As the computer counts down Dean wonders how he can get Cas’ attention back onto him instead of the compound in his blood. He then realizes how silly that is because the sooner he gets back to normal the sooner he can have _all_ of Cas’ attention.

_ “One.” _

The lights flicker and then burn brightly for a moment. Dean peeks past his fingers. Around him the machines kick into high gear; processors humming, fans whirring, and above it all Cas’ fingers tap, tap, tapping. 

It’s like a dance Dean can’t follow; he doesn’t even know the melody. The computers appear to respond to Cas’ wishes before he reaches them, glowing warmly a second before Cas’ fingers ever touch the screen. The way they react to his smallest gesture has Dean tilting his head in thought.

“Minerva,” Cas says suddenly. There’s sweat on his brow and his eyes are narrowed. “Rerun tests three and four.”

“ _ Test three and four reinitiated.” _

Dean waits in tense silence as Cas holds his breath, head tilted towards the ceiling, eyes closed.

_ “Results consistent.” _

“No,” Cas drags his fingers through his hair and spins around to face Dean. He looks lost and Dean’s heart sinks.

“Cas… what?”

“Minerva! Analyze for antidote potential.”

“Cas, talk to me.”

“ _ More resources needed, estimated time until completion at current power: Three weeks, two days, six hours, twenty-eight minutes, fifty-six seconds.” _

“No! Damn it.” Cas slams his hand down on one of the glass panels and its internal illumination flickers. “That’s not fast enough.”

“What's going on, Cas?” Dean presses, moving around the table and grabbing him by the shoulders. “Talk to me,”

“This compound: it’s mutating.” Cas shakes Dean’s hands off and reaches for his tablet. “Let me clarify, it mutates when it comes into contact with a Super’s blood. It matches their genetic composition and begins to override it, reversing the mutation.”

“It’s a cure?” Dean’s stunned. It could mean the eradication of Supers worldwide. It could be an epidemic. It could mean the end of everything as they know it.

“It’s a virus!” Cas hisses, and the computers around him glow brightly in response. He tosses the tablet down onto the exam table while Dean blinks, shielding his eyes. “A plague! Don’t you see? If this ends up in the wrong hands it could send us hurtling towards a future with unknown consequences! We… we have to notify The Council.”

“Cas, buddy,” Dean says, reaching out and gripping Cas by his trembling shoulders. They’re so much broader than they have any right being and it’s a moment before Dean gets over the surprise of touching Helios and remembers what he’s supposed to be saying. “Calm down, okay. You can fix it, you can make a vaccine and, eventually, an antidote. People can choose. Supers can choose. It’ll be okay.”

“It won’t,” Cas snaps, and the heat from the electronics washes over Dean, making sweat drip down his back. “Life as we know it has changed.”

“Cas.” Dean eyes the computers around them. The floor below Cas’ feet is glowing slightly. His pupils seem to be emanating a faint white light. “Look at me, I… I need you to look at me, okay?”

Cas looks up, locking eyes with Dean and it all clicks. “You’re a Latent,” Dean breaths and Cas rolls his eyes, the glow in his pupils fades with each passing second. 

“Dean, please.” Cas shrugs off Dean’s hands and returns to the figures and equations running up his screen in rapid flashes. It makes Dean dizzy, but Cas just groans; complaining that it’s all going too slowly.  

Cas glances over his shoulder at Dean, his brow arched so high he looks like he’s waiting for Dean to turn around, bend over, and present. For a startling second Dean considers it, but then Cas starts talking. “Dean, I was tested and monitored as a child just like everybody else. I never showed any markers for mutation, any sign that would allude to having powers. I never showed any potential aside from an aptitude with computers. I’m perfectly mundane. There is nothing about me that would make me a Super. I’m not a Latent, Dean. I’m sorry. I would know.”

“You’re a stubborn, emotionally constipated idiot. That’s what you are,” Dean laughs and then tilts his head in thought. “Did you get hurt when you went out to recover me? Did you need any medical treatment when you got back?”

“Ah, I had a rescue pod with me, so transporting you back was simple, but getting you into the pod was incredibly difficult as you are extremely heavy,”

“Hey…” Dean interrupts goodnaturedly.

“I ended up getting a small gash on my forearm but Chiron was able to apply a medicated glue, so it’s mostly healed now.”

“When was the last time you ran a Supers: Power, Analysis, and Capabilities test on yourself?”

“Years ago, I think maybe fifteen, sixteen. At my last Council regulated check in.” Cas’ brows furrow and he looks at Dean like he’s crazy “If I was going to develop powers, they would have come about during puberty. Not fifteen odd years later because I’m under duress. I’ve been under duress a lot since being assigned to you.”

“Okay, first off, rude.” Dean grins and Cas rolls his eyes, “Second off: Minerva, run a SPAC test on your last sample of Helios’ blood.”

There is a long pause before the A.I chimes in:  _ “Voice command not recognized. Unauthorized User.” _

“Minerva!” Cas scolds, a flush riding his cheeks. He turns a shy eye to Dean. “She’s just being difficult. Minerva, please run the test so we can focus on things that  _ actually _ matter,” Cas says the last part to Dean who rolls his eyes this time.

“ _ Test initiated.”  _

_ Bleep, Bloop; Bleeep, Blooop. Ping! _

_ “Results cultivated: Positive. Castiel Novak- Alias: Helios- Revised Status: Latent.” _

“What!?” Cas jerks, his body flinching, eyes casting skywards. “Impossible,” he scoffs laughing. “Minerva, estimate the rank potential for C. Novak- Alias: Helios,” he commands even as he shakes his head at Dean. “Even if I am a L-Latent… my rank will be negligible… Surely, this is all in error.”

_ “Helios Latent Potential: S-Rank Hero.” _

“Holy shit,” Dean breathes, reaching for Cas. 

S-Rank!? Dean’s an A-Rank. There have only been four reported S-Rank heroes in recent history. They’re heavily targeted by those who go dark, corrupted by their desires. The identities of all S-Rank heroes are a heavily guarded secret. Often, they don’t even perform normal Super duties. The last time an S-Rank hero got involved in an event, there was a hostile alien invasion taking place and he was never seen again. 

“Holy shit,” Cas echoes. “This is impossible. Minerva run the test again.”

“ _ Test reinitiated.” _

The soft, purring beeps ring out and Cas reaches to grip Dean’s hand. 

_ “Results confirmed.” _

_ “ _ Holy shit,” Dean laughs, giddy excitement running through his veins. 

Cas slumps, his eyes wide with shock, his mouth hanging open. He looks around, lost, confused, and Dean feels his happiness ebb away. 

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, Cas. I got you.”

Dean guides Cas to sit on the edge of the medical bay. His breathing is labored and his eyes seem unfocused. 

“Run the test again!” Cas shouts, looking up from his hands where they’ve fallen in his lap.

_ “Results confirmed.” _

“No,” Cas breathes, “Run it again!” He surges up from the table and Dean stumbles back a step. Cas’ fingers spark and the seams in the tiled marble floor glow ominously under his feet. 

_ “Results confirmed.” _

“Again!”

_ “Results confirmed.” _

“No. No, please,” Cas tugs at his hair and Dean watches small sparks jump from the ends of his dark strands; bright and blue-white.

“Cas…” Dean warns lowly; around them, the computers whine, their displays flickering, buttons flashing on and off. “Cas, I’m going to need you to calm down.”

“Run the test again!” Cas shrieks, hands flying to the large glass display panel. The images displayed waver, distorting away from Cas’ hands before flowing back, seeking him out.

_ “Results confir––.” _

“Again!”

_ “Results co––” _

“Again!”

_ “Resu–– _

“Again, Minerva! Run it again!” Cas’ shoulders curl in towards himself and for the first time, Dean sees him as the fearful, isolated man he is. Something in his heart breaks and he steps towards Cas, unsure of how to proceed. 

Cas wobbles before the bay of electronics, half aborted steps left and right as if he has no idea how to function anymore. Slowly the lights on the edge of the room begin to dim and flicker out. 

The floor under Cas’ feet cracks, the large industrial tiles prying apart at their seams. The heavy marble ripples, groaning loudly as wires force their way––winding like snakes––up through the gaps, sparking and writhing over Cas’ feet and up his ankles. 

Cas tugs on his hair again, wheezing and whimpering, each breath labored; suddenly fearful in a way he’s never been before, Dean glances around the rest of the MedBay. It’s completely dark, but the devices surrounding them glow hot and bright, whirring, clicking, beeping as Cas struggles to stay upright. Dean doesn't need his extra senses to know Cas is rushing towards the edge of something dangerous. 

_ “Results confirmed.” _

“Cas!” Dean shouts, reaching out without thought and grabbing him. 

The spark that jumps from Cas’ shoulder and strikes Dean’s outstretched hand makes him seize. All his muscles contract; his eyes roll back into his head and he bites into his tongue. Pain shoots up his arm and across his chest, his heart stutters against his ribs, skipping beats. He knows he screams, but he can’t remember anything after he hits the ground, his skin making a slick smacking sound against the cool marble floor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for: panic attack


	4. The Void

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional warnings at the end.

“We really need to stop meeting like this,” Dean groans as he wakes up.

“Dean,” Cas grabs for him and then pulls his hands away before they touch.

“No, no. Knock that off,” Dean says reaching for him again. He’s not even sore. His body responds fluidly, unlike earlier. He slips his hand into Cas’ and Cas lets out a choked sob. 

“Oh thank fuck,” Cas drops his face into his other hand, covering his eyes. The fingers Dean’s holding onto contract, squeezing, reassuring. “When I… When I… e–electrocuted you... I was so worried. I… I could have killed you, Dean.” Cas grimaces. “I put you into a medically induced coma and introduced a preliminary antidote. We’re lucky your exposure was limited, the “antidote” was able to reverse the damage done and your powers should be fully back soon. If we hadn’t gotten the serum into you so quickly the mutation would have advanced too far and I’d have to wait weeks until Minerva is able to finalize and analyze the final compound.”

“Good–erm–instincts…” he says lamely, but a slightly hysterical laugh escapes Cas’ lips and they share a small smile.

Dean relaxes back into the pillows, taking a moment to get his bearings. They’re no longer in the MedBay. Instead, they’re in some kind of bedroom. It’s dimly lit and cozy, but still has that ‘spaceship’ feel to it, much like the rest of Cas’ base. It’s all clean lines, smooth glass over resin and marble surfaces. The colors are muted and unobtrusive, in tones of gray and white and brown. 

Well, it would if there weren't band posters and photos strung up haphazardly all over the walls. Or clothes scattered across the floor and furniture. There are a pair of ripped black skinny jeans hanging off the back of the couch and a few empty teacups scattered over the small table set before a massive television. It has a very ‘lived in’ feel and it sets Dean at ease.

He sighs, glancing down at himself. The sheets are pooled around his hips and the wound on his side is completely gone. Closing his eyes, he focuses. Immediately his hearing picks up the soft whoosh-thump of Cas’ heart. He switches focus, extending his senses until he pushes outside the confines of Helios’ base to the city beyond. It’s muted and distant, but the sounds of a forest are loud with the stirrings of life. They must be far out in the wilds. Dean pulls back, blinking his eyes open.

“It worked,” he says smiling. 

“Of course, it worked,” Cas grumps from behind his hand.

“You healed me,” Dean tugs on where their fingers are linked. “Thank you. I knew you could do it.”

“I’m glad one of us did,” Cas says grumpily, and a memory surges to the forefront of Dean’s mind.

“I remember,” he says suddenly. “Four and a half years ago... That villain, Astor, he... ripped a hole in our dimension and I was being sucked into the rift. You were working on a way to close it and the Council was trying to get another Super to the scene in time, but it wasn’t working. I could hear it in your voice, you thought you weren’t going to be able to get me out.”

“You were so calm,” Cas interrupts, “I was losing it, and you were so calm. You said,  _ Hey, Helios, it’s been fun. _ ” Cas’ voice cracks and his hand squeezes around Dean’s fingers, “ _ And if this is it, would you tell me your name? _ ”

Dean chuckles, “I had to do something to distract you. And you said Castiel. I was so angry at you.”

“You thought I was lying,”

“Well, I barely knew you.”

“Very true,” Cas laughs, his face weary when he finally lifts his head from his hand. “Then… then...”

Dean reaches out and cups Cas’ face. He knows what he asked for next: for Cas to send a message to Sam, if he ever reappeared- to tell him,  _ ‘always keep fighting’ _ and ‘ _ I’m proud of you’ _ and…

_ “I’m sorry _ ,” Cas finishes Dean’s last thought out loud, gently placing a kiss to the palm of Dean’s hand.

“Yeah,” Dean licks his lips. “So, this your room?”

Cas clears his throat, sitting a little straighter. The small rolling stool he’s on slides quietly across the floor as he looks over his shoulder. “Minerva: Lights up to 30 percent in the Hive.”

“The Hive?” Dean arches a brow and Cas flushes. 

“I like bees,” he grumbles as the lights in the room come up to an intimate setting, while the ones around the bed dim to nothing.

They are quiet for a long time. Dean can’t look away from Cas. He’s so tense, brows furrowed, chewing on the corners of his lips and Dean wants to rub the strain from his shoulders. 

“It’s going to be okay, Cas. We’ll get through this together.”

“I could have killed you,” Cas whispers, looking down at his knees.

“But you didn’t,” Dean cuts in. “We can’t live our lives thinking about the  _ what-ifs _ or the  _ could have been _ . Sam taught me that, and I’ll spend as long as I need teaching you.”

“You… you’re not…” Cas blinks at him, owlishly, “You’re not going to leave?”

“What?” Dean sits up, licking his lips and reaching for Cas again. “Why the fuck would I leave? We finally have each other.”

“I just thought…” Cas shrugs, and Dean pulls him from his stool onto the edge of the bed. They’re sitting hip to hip, facing one another and Cas’ eyes flicker to Dean’s lips. “Now that I’m… S–s… Now that I’m different.”

Dean chuckles, placing a knuckle under Cas’ chin to tilt his face up. “I think it would be pretty hypocritical of me…”

Cas shrugs, but there’s a smile tilting the corner of his lips. Dean leans in and Cas’ breath hitches, his lips parting.

“I love you,” Dean says, lips a breath away from Cas’. “Nothing’s gonna change that.”

_ Whamp! Whamp!  _

_ “Helios: Alert.” _

_ Whamp! Whamp! _

The alarm blares and Dean flinches back, his hands flying to cover his ears. The lights surge to full brightness flooding the room in bright white before glitching out and plunging the it into darkness. It’s a tense second before the emergency lights click on and the room is drenched in red.

“Minerva! Report!” Cas snaps, surging to his feet. 

All the hairs on Dean’s body lift in warning. His senses go into overdrive and he lurches to his feet. 

Someone is here.

_ “Foreign entity detected,”  _ Minerva’s overly calm, disjointed voice supplies. _ “Lockdown procedure initiated. Helios: Intruder Alert.” _

“Move to a silent alarm,” Cas shouts, rushing towards the coffee table. The blaring siren switches off leaving Dean’s ears ringing in the sudden silence. It’s disorienting. “Track the entity, try to funnel it towards the secure wing.” 

Cas swipes the detritus from the top of the coffee table, the fragile porcelain teacups shatter as they hit the ground. He presses his palms down against the table and pushes before flinging his hands up above his head. The table surface glows and dozens of holographic windows jump up, following the path of Cas’ fingers until they settle all around him into a dome of hexagonal light. It expands, encompassing Cas and bathing him in soft blue.

There’s a black figure lurching through the halls. Red notifications pop up around the dome: -  **WARNING - WARNING -**

_ “System breached. Unable to contain entity. Suppression zones: 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 12–– Failed.” _

“How fucking big is this place?” Dean asks, stuck somewhere between awe and horror as he rushes to Cas’ side. He’s still dressed in only the white lycra shorts and he feels vulnerable. “What I wouldn’t give for my suit.”

“I have a new prototype in development, but it won’t be finished for another six hours,” Cas says, breathing heavily as his hands fly over the different projections. 

He’s amazing, sparks tripping from his fingers, flashes of light and electricity filling the otherwise still air with energy. Dean’s never been this close to an S-Rank before and now he understands why. He feels small under the onslaught of power leaking out of Cas’ aura. 

Cas grunts, whimpering and shaking his hands. “I can’t. There’s so much… energy!” Cas looks to Dean brows furrowed. “It’s buzzing, so loudly. My skin feels…”

“It’s okay, Cas, don’t fight it. I know it’s scary but you’ve gotta try and embrace it, your power won't hurt you.” Dean coaches, desperately trying to remember the training from his childhood. “Listen to your instincts, trust yourself. I’m right here, okay. I’m right here.” 

With a stiff nod, Cas closes his eyes and breathes out a slow harsh breath. When he opens his eyes again they are glowing faintly.

“Release the nanites,” Cas commands, swiping his fingers through the camera feed, sending the little window skittering to the other side of the sphere. With a flick of his wrist, a new screen jumps up and he begins to type directly onto it. 

_ “Nanites released,”  _ Minerva responds.

Around them, a swarm of red and blue locator dots erupt into life, swirling around them like bees. They sway and bank and Cas grunts, agitated, before clapping his hands together. A pulse of energy is released and when he pulls them apart, a schematic of the base spreads out between his palms. It’s massive and Dean’s head swims at the scale of it. Cas tosses the projection into the middle of the sphere and the nanites swoop, shrinking until they flow as a mass of GPS beacons down one of the digital halls. 

Cas turns, reaches out and pulls another camera feed towards himself. Dean is completely overwhelmed. How Cas never realized he was a Super, Dean’ll never understand. Even with an A.I. as advanced as Minerva at his fingertips, there is just no way Cas could think all of this was normal? He must have been accessing and using parts of his gifts for years without conscious thought. It took Dean months of intensive training to get an understanding, let alone command, of his gifts. It’s taken Cas mere hours to garner basic control. 

They watch in horror as the swarm of nanites launches themselves directly at the void and vanish, their little locator lights blinking out from the schematic hologram all at once. The shadow doesn’t even falter.

“Shit.”

“I guess... that’s not good?” Dean asks, glancing around at all the monitors. 

Something tingles up his arms and settles like an itch between his shoulders blades. He lowers his stance, bending his knees and spreading his feet. He lifts his arms, hands curled into fists. His neck prickles and Cas curses. 

It’s coming. Dean can feel it in his bones.

“I lost it. I lost it…” Cas spins around, hands reaching and pulling back, unsure. “I…I… Minerva…!”

_ “Helios. Target lost….”  _

“Find it!”

_ “T-Target-t-t-t-t-t L-l-l-lost….” _

“Minerva!”

_ “Initiating: Imminent Threat Protocol. P-p-please retreat to the P-p-panic R-r-r-room.” _

Behind them, there’s a hiss as Cas’ bed sinks into the floor, revealing a staircase. “Minerva!” 

“ _ He-He-Helios… Re-e… Retreat.” _

“No, Minerva…” Cas opens his mouth, gasping, eyes wide, hands reaching for the ceiling, the sphere of light blinking out as Minerva crashes and Dean feels it: the shift... His senses urge him to  _ move _ .

Without thinking, Dean’s steps fully in front of Cas. His arm snaps up and he puts all his strength behind blocking the incoming strike. He shoots his other hand back and connects with Cas’ chest sending him flying across the room. Dean’s teeth grind under the weight of the hit he’s blocking. His feet squeak along the floor as the shadow presses down on him, driving him back.

“Cas!” He grunts under the strain, unable to look away from the shadow connected to his forearm.

“I’m okay!” Cas wheezes and the sound of his sneakers scuffing signals to Dean that he’s getting back to his feet. 

The floor ripples behind him, surging forward like a tidal wave, and he hears Cas’ growling shout as the tiles in front of Dean’s bare feet bulge and erupt, cables and wires bursting free. They surge up into the dark humanoid void looming over Dean. His instincts tell him to disengage, to retreat, flee, to  _ move, move, move! _ A heartbeat passes as Dean plants his feet and pulls himself back before Cas snarls and electricity pours into the shadow. It vanishes, but Dean knows it’s still here.

He can feel it. 

Like they’re connected. 

He spins, watching the dark corners. 

“Dean,” Cas breathes, stumbling to Dean’s side. “Fuck, how do you do this all the time?”

Narrowing his eyes, Dean doesn’t respond. Instead, he reaches out with his senses, recoiling when a chuckle roars in his sensitive ears.

“How nice.”  

Dean knows that voice. It distorts on top of itself, layering and speaking out of synch.

“This… This is the same thing… got me last time.” Dean shakes his head, his vision going hazy around the edges. 

“So kind of you to remember me.” 

Dean and Cas both turn in tandem. Dean keeps Cas just behind his shoulder. While Cas might be more powerful, he’s new and untrained, going on instinct. Dean’s got years of experience on his side. 

“I see you’ve managed to wake him.”

“Show yourself!” Cas demands, his fingers sparking.

“I’m on your side; sort of,” the voice says softly. “This was the only way. You needed to wake up. You needed the connection.”

_ What?!  _ Dean thinks it but Cas shouts it, surging forward, his eyes glowing white.

“SHOW YOURSELF!” Cas roars, and from his body bursts a supernova of white light. 

Every dark corner of the room burns away and a shifting void is left standing before them. It takes Dean awhile to blink the sunspots from his vision and when he does, his heart stops in his chest. Cas’ hand is gripping his shoulder hard enough to hurt; if Dean was a regular human, that is.

“S–Sam?”

“Not quite,” The figure says, the writhing mass of black ooze retreats enough to show Dean his brother’s face. “I used to be Sam Winchester. Maybe one day I will be again. It’s why I needed you... needed you both.”

The entity begins to pace. The darkness blurs behind it as it moves. Each step it takes makes a sickly squishing sound, the blackness coating its skin is dark and slithering. Dean’s heart clenches and he reaches towards it but Cas grabs his hand before he can make contact and pulls him back.

“Sam…” Dean chokes and the creature hisses. Dean’s hands snap to cover his ears.

“Not. Sam.” It screeches, the ooze turning jagged and angry before settling again. 

Dean watches with wide eyes as the creature moves in jagged, stumbling steps across the cracked floor. The mass of ooze wrapping over his brother’s form writhes, everflowing, dripping from his fingers and hitting the ground, only to slink back towards itself to reunite with the mass coating his legs. 

Anyplace where Sam’s skin flashes through the shifting liquid, it’s wrong; stretched thin and translucent. Thick black veins creep up Sam’s arms, his neck, the glimpses of his jaw visible when he whips his head around. 

It’s his eyes that frighten Dean most. Sam’s eyes are voids, black and fathomless from upper to lower eyelid. Dean’s straining towards his brother, Cas’ hand on his biceps the only thing keeping him still. Sam’s hair is long and hanging in dripping, wet-looking black sheets from his head. The creature tugs at it and groans. 

“Let me talk to my brother,” Dean demands, trying to pull his arm out of Cas’ hand.

“Yes, yes. Of course. Right after you help me.” The creature swings its head around and Dean lurches back, bumping into Cas. Its face is a bastardization of Sam’s and it chokes the air out of Dean’s lungs.

“What do you want?” Cas asks, leaning into Dean’s space, glaring over the ridge of Dean’s shoulder. 

“The Cure.” The being lunges forward and then pulls back. Its skin ripples, bulging black and glossy before smoothing out again. “This is a mistake. I was not meant to be like this.”

“The cure isn’t ready,” Cas snaps and the creature snarls, its mouth opening snake wide, displaying dripping fangs and rows of razor-sharp teeth. Of all the horrors Dean has seen in his short life, this is the worst. His heart is in his stomach and he can’t seem to do anything but stare.

“The….” Dean manages and Cas shakes his head. 

“It’s only capable of combating recent contamination. It can’t reverse years of mutation and cellular damage. It needs to be introduced within the first twelve hours of contamination.”

The creature rages and Dean’s eyes roll back as waves and waves of sound wash over him. Cas catches him, strong arms supporting Dean until the screaming stops.

“You can do it. You can,” The void insists. “It has to be you,”

“I don’t have the power; my systems can’t handle the processes required to push the production of an antidote.”

“You are the power,” the creature whispers oozing closer, its head tilted. “You are the battery. You can make it.”

“I don’t know how,” Cas insists, his lips compressed. His hands are firm and unyielding where they grip Dean’s arms. 

The creature screams again and Dean goes down to one knee. His ears are bleeding. Usually his suit, his mask; they’re fitted with suppressors; something to help filter the noise.

Cas curses, bending down. His fingers gently tap Dean’s ear and he frowns as they come away red with blood.

“I’ll help you,” Cas says, and Dean shakes his head, his healing already fixing the busted eardrum. 

“Cas, no.”

“I can do this Dean, I can. Let me try.” Cas bends down, bringing their faces into alignment and with a rough exhale, he kisses Dean. 

It’s not like in the movies, but when is anything? It’s short and rough, their teeth collide painfully and before Dean can even get with the program, it’s over. Cas is smiling when he pulls back, his cheeks flushed and beautiful. His hands gently squeezes Dean’s shoulder.

“Stay here,” he whispers before standing and turning to face the creature parading as Sam. 

Dean can only look up at his back. It’s broad and the red lights are shining down on him in a way that scares Dean. It feels final. It feels like goodbye. 

_ Yeah right, _ Dean thinks as Cas leads the creature out of the room. 

_Stay here…?_ _Sure._ Dean scoffs. Who’s the fully trained Super here? Dean. That’s who. Like Hell he’s being sidelined for this one.

“We need to head to Medical. All my equipment is there.”

“After you.” The creature motions with Sam’s almost transparent arm.

Whatever progress Dean was making to get back to his feet is halted when the creature speaks. Its voice penetrates deep into Dean’s skull and has him curling back down over his knees. All of his senses feel like they’re in overdrive; like the antidote is turning everything up to eleven, boosting his powers to an almost unmanageable level. It’s a few long moments of controlled breathing, focusing on his healing, before Dean’s able to pry his eyes open and he realizes he’s alone in the room.

Scrambling to his feet, Dean seeks out the first solution to his problems. Rushing into the attached bathroom, Dean digs through Cas’ medicine cabinet. There is an alarming amount of over the counter medicine in there and Dean makes a note that if they survive this, to talk to Cas about being either a hypochondriac or obscenely over prepared. Luckily, Dean finds what he’s looking for in a package of wax earplugs. Stuffing them into his ears, he sighs at the immediate muffling of the world around them. 

Charging back into the room, he grabs the pants from the back of Cas’ couch and hops into them as he races for the door. He lurches to a stop before the hallway to look down, a flush of heat racing up his chest as he buttons the pants. Pulling them up as they fall down, loose around his hips and thighs and… Dean cannot think about Cas having thick thighs and hips when he’s about to burst into what could be his last battle. 

His feet slap against the cool floor as Dean follows the steadily increasing glow back towards MedBay. Wires in the walls and along the floor light up with energy, guiding Dean with pulses of light; leading him to Cas.

Dean squeezes through the half-open sliding door. His breath catching in his throat at the sight that meets him. Cas is hovering in the center of the room, cables and wires wrapping up his bare feet and down his arms. They coil around his hips and drift up under his shirt. Sparking in blue and white and yellow where they plunge into his aura, shivering with the power they’re taking from him. Cas’ eyes are glowing blue, his skin radiating white light and the machines around him sizzle, exuding heat, threatening to overload. 

“How long?” The creature lurches along the edge of light, pacing around and around, its black eyes gazing up, up, up to where Cas’ face is.

“The estimated time to a fully viable antidote is roughly: three minutes, twelve seconds, but only if you stop bothering me,” Cas responds, his voice low but booming, filling the room and making Dean’s ribcage rattle beneath his skin. There’s so much power leaking out of him it sets Dean’s teeth on edge.

“Faster!” The creature hisses, reaching for Cas only to get shocked back by the dome of light completely encompassing him.

“Sit,” Cas says too calmly. One of his hands opens with a snap and with a massive groan the gel-topped exam table pries itself up off the floor, thick cables propelling it across the room until it slams into the creature’s back. Restraints flick out and lock around the abomination’s hips, arms, and legs before the bed falls back into place, the wires and cables resettling themselves below the floor. The creature howls, writhing but Cas doesn’t seem phased.

“Ah.” He turns his glowing gaze on Dean, his smile small and fond.

“Cas.”

“Shh, we don’t have much time.” The light in Cas’ eyes flicker and his face contorts in pain. “When the antidote is complete, you must administer it immediately, the compound is not fully stable and will only remain in static for a very short amount of time. It needs to be introduced into the patient's bloodstream within seconds or it will begin to decay. My power is fluctuating, I fear I will not be able to hold it.”

Dean glances around, slowly one device at a time stutters out, silent and dormant, their wires falling from around Cas’ body, limp and lifeless. He’s going to drain himself. He’s going to die.

“Cas, no!” Dean rushes into the room, reaching for him, stretching up to touch him. He runs face first into the protective sphere and stumbles back a step, Cas smiles softly down at him. 

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“Cas,” Dean’s voice cracks, tears well in his eyes and he presses his forehead against the barrier. “Don’t. Please, we need you. I need you….”

“When the antidote is complete, administer it directly into the chest, aim for the heart. Like a shot of adrenaline. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate.”

“No, Cas!” Dean swallows hard, looking up at Cas, his best friend; the person he’s loved for the last four years. Cas is, without a doubt, the best thing to ever happen to him and Dean feels his entire world fracture. “We don’t even know if that’s actually Sam. We don’t even know if he can come back! You can’t _ DO THIS!” _

“Promise me,”

“No, please. Don’t make me.”

“Forty-five seconds.” Cas’ breath hitches and his aura glows. He blinks that bright blue flickering down at Dean. “Promise me, Dean. Promise!”

“I… fuck. I promise.”

“I love you.” 

The lights blink out all at once, dropping the room into pitch blackness and Dean stumbles forward, the barrier suddenly gone. The sick sound of Cas’ body hitting the floor makes Dean gag; and his first instinct is to go back to him, to cradle Cas’ body against his own, touch his beautiful face. But he made a promise, and the moment Cas’ aura begins to fade, Dean’s already on his feet.

Across the room, a faint blue glow warms slowly and Dean races towards it. It draws him in like the sunrise after a long bloody night; it calls to him. Grabbing the syringe, Dean turns, his speed aiding his movements, and plunges it into the creature's chest, releasing the serum. 

The result is instantaneous––the black goo spikes out, and the creature howls in pain. Under it all is the human sound of Sam, his voice tripping in and out of audible frequency, but even without the earplugs, Dean would know that particular sound.

He’s torn, standing on the precipice. The syringe drops from his limp fingers and Dean watches in horror as the black ooze drips over the edge for the exam table, repelled from his brother's limp body. It writhes and contorts, slowly solidifying into a human shape. 

“Nox?” Dean hisses, shocked. The body on the floor shivers, skin rippling; it curls in on itself. He’s never been this far out of his depth before. “Sam?” Dean breathes, taking one step towards the table where Sam is strapped down and breathing.  _ Breathing. Sam’s alive. _ The MedBay clicks on and vitals flicker to life on the monitor above the bed. 

Sucking in a breath, Dean looks to where Cas is laying, one arm stretched out and pressed firmly to the floor. Around his hand, the ground glows and in the faint light, Dean can see Cas’ sad smile.

“He’ll live. He’s back. You’re both okay.”

“Cas,” Dean chokes, rushing around the bed and skidding across the debris-scattered floor on his knees. “Cas,” Dean breathes again, softer when he makes it to Cas’ side.

“I’m tired,” Cas says weakly, a soft chuckle escaping him. “I feel bad…. For all the times…. I made fun of you…. For whining about being tired… I’m so tired….”

“No, no, no,” Dean soothes pushing Cas’ hair off his forehead. “No, please. Don’t talk, save your strength.”

“Dean…” Cas reaches into his lab coat, tattered and frayed, burnt around the edges and missing both sleeves, but still proudly emblazoned with  _ Helios _ along his breast. He pulls out a small flash drive and presses it to Dean’s chest. “You can do it. Save us all, just like always.”

“What, Cas?” Dean grips Cas’ hand, the flash drive digging into his skin. “I don’t understand….” 

“Hurry,” Cas pulls his hand away and slaps it against the ground. His eyes roll back and a burst of light leaves his palm and flows into the floor. It streaks along the wires there and ignites them up the wall, revealing a panel. “Hurry….” Cas gasps, his body going limp.

Reluctantly, Dean sets him down and speeds across the room. He yanks the panel off the wall and flings the bit of metal away. There’s a massive reinforced motherboard there and in the very center is a USB hub. Dean slams the USB into the port and closes his eyes.

“Please, please, please,” he begs, holding his breath. Nothing happens for a heartstopping handful of seconds and then everything begins to move.

“ _ Emergency! Emergency!” _

“Minerva!” Dean laughs, half hysterical. 

_ “User recognized. Soter.”  _ There’s a pause where the motherboard buzzes and small lights on its surface clicker _ “Minerva Status: Backup power supply holding. Limited functionality obtained, multiple systems compromised. Complete reboot underway. Estimated time to full functionality: three months, six days, eighteen hours, fifty-two seconds.” _

“We don’t have time for that,” Dean screams his fist pounding on the wall, denting it. “They’re dying. Everyone is dying. Please, Cas…. He’s...” his voice cracks. Dean’s knees give out and he slumps, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

“ _ Soter: assistance granted, scanning: Samuel Winchester, Location: MedBay- 2, vitals stable. Summoning Chiron.” _

Sniffing, Dean looks over his shoulder. From the back of the room, a wall opens and a small robot zooms out, its versatile wheels moving it easily over debris until it reaches Sam’s bedside. Immediately, it begins to administer treatment, its short mechanical arms moving easily over Sam’s body.

_ “Scanning: Fergus Crowley, S-Rank Super. Alias: Nox- The Void. Location: MedBay- Floor, vitals fading. Summoning Ebisu and Isis” _

Again the back wall opens and two more robots zip into the space. They lift and carry Nox over to an undamaged medical bed and attempt to save his life.

“Minerva….” Dean breathes when the A.I. doesn’t move to scan again. 

“ _ Soter?” _

“Save him,” 

_ “All life signs accounted for and assistance is being administered. Soter, do you require medical aid?” _

“No!” Dean shouts, his fists landing hard against the ground. A ripple of energy flows out from the contact and distorts the floor. “No, no, no….” 

Scrambling to his feet, Dean closes the distance between himself and Cas in a flash. Slowly, he lifts Cas’ head and shoulders, wrapping his limp body up in his arms and breathing slow, shaky breaths into his hair. It’s just as soft as Dean imagined it would be and he nuzzles down into it. 

_ “Cas....  _ Don’t leave me,” Dean begs, his heart aching, shattering in his chest. “Don’t…  _ please. _ ” 

Around them Minerva has small cleaning bots activated and moving, the sounds of Sam and Nox’ vitals beep and chirp as Dean falls apart. This is like when he lost Sam, but this time there’s no deep growling laugh filtering over his headset. No snark and sass to keep him from going over the edge in his misery. That’s gone, slipped through his fingers before he even realized what he had. 

“You’re smothering me.”

Dean blinks, sucking a breath in so quickly he chokes on his saliva, coughing, he scrambles back. Cas smiles up at him, eyes void of the illumination that poured out of him all evening. 

“Cas?” he breathes, heart threatening to stop in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Very implied, very temp MCD. There's no actual MCD, one character thinks the other passes, and it's only for maybe a paragraph. 
> 
> One more chapter to go. <3


	5. A Decent Cup of Tea

“Cas?” he breathes, heart threatening to stop in his chest.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas clears his throat, sitting up slowly.

“H–how?” Dean’s hands fall limply in his lap. He’s completely drained. This isn’t real, this is a delusion. “I watched you die.”

“Did you?” Cas asks, reaching up to brush some plaster from his hair. 

“I… thought I did?” Dean says, shell shocked.

“I’m so sorry.” Cas says reaching out and covering Dean’s hand with his own “I… I’m not really sure what happened but I think I surged?”

“You… what?” Dean licks his lips, slowly he lifts his free hand and brushes his fingertips along Cas’ cheekbone. He’s warm and soft and  _ alive. _

“I surged, sort of...” Cas winces, rolling his shoulders like he has a stiff neck. “This sucks, I promise I will never make fun of you for needing time after a big fight.”

“Cas,” Dean’s voice breaks and his nose tingles like he’s going to cry.

“I… I don’t know the full extent of my powers yet, so I don’t have any actual answers for you.”

“But?” Dean prompts, scooting closer, dragging his fingers down Cas’ face and into his hair. 

“But… I think I had a power surge and needed to ...reboot?” Cas squints, tilting his head to the side and frowns. “Like, a computer?”

“So, you’re telling me you’re an android now?” Dean huffs a laugh of disbelief. 

“Not… exactly?” Cas shrugs and hisses, “But maybe? There might have been some transference when I penetrated into Minerva’s mainframe… I’m.. honestly not sure? I feel like I’m part of it, the computer, like it will listen to me if I ask it to? Does that make sense?” 

“Like, a technopath?” Dean blinks. It’s a pretty rare superpower, some genetic deviation of the more well known psychic abilities: technopath, telekinesis,  psychometry . The most common, as far as Dean knows, is telepathy. He hasn’t heard of an S-Rank technopath, well, ever. The last one he encountered was a D-Rank working for GeekSquad in his local BestBuy. “I mean that would make the most sense, based on…” Dean gestures to the room around them, the wires poking out of the walls, hanging from the ceiling, but still, everything is up and running… to some degree.

“Ah, yeah… W-would that be a problem?” Cas prompts, his brows furrowed. 

“Cas, I wouldn’t fucking care if you were part octopus. You gave me my brother back, you saved us all. You’re amazing.” Finally, Dean leans in and kisses him, a real kiss, pressing into Cas’ space, sliding both of his hands into Cas’ hair and holding his head steady. 

Now this. This kiss is a Hollywood blockbuster moment. The sparks and flashes of lights popping around their heads are not special effects and they fade as soon as Cas gets over his initial surprise. He kisses back with fervor, licking into Dean’s mouth and moaning in that low gravel tone of his. 

When they finally pull apart Cas is grinning, loopy and loose and Dean wants to scoop him up and take him away from the world.

“That’s a great idea. We need a vacation.” Cas looks around his medical bay and sighs, “Maybe some time to rebuild?”

“Minerva,” Dean says, unable to look away from Cas’ face. “File a request-for-leave form on behalf of Soter and Helios with The Council.”

Cas’ smile spreads and Dean sweeps in to kiss him again, softly pressing their lips together. 

_ “Reason for leave?” _

“I don’t care what you put. Tell them we found Sam… Tell them The Hive was attacked and they should expect expenses.” Cas laughs and Dean grins devilishly, running his thumb over Cas’ chin he says more quietly, “Tell them we got married. Tell them whatever you want as long as we’re not getting any assignments for the next few months.”

_ “Affirmative.” _

The low creaky groan from Sam’s medibed has Dean and Cas turning towards the medical table. “Dean….?”

He and Cas lean heavily on one another as they step up to Sam’s bedside. Dean laughs so hard he cries when Sams hazel eyes fix on his, no longer black soulless voids. Sam calls him a jerk and Dean, for once agrees. 

“You’ll tell me? Dean asks, slipping his hand into Sam’s. “What happened?” 

“Nox. He...he got… infected by that thing, during the invasion? A Virus, I guess. It did something to him, mutated maybe? I don’t know. It drove him kinda crazy, I think, and when The Council sent us techs in to clear the scene… I found him, and he… latched onto me. I guess. He thought that maybe I could save him, us? I don’t know…” Sam starts to cough and Chiron whirrs a warning beep. 

“Hey, hey.” Dean soothes, “I didn’t mean now, rest up, we can talk later. You can tell me everything, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.,” Sam croaks, licking his lips. “If you tell me what I missed while I was gone.” His eyes flick pointedly between Dean and Cas before one of his brows arches. Fuck, Dean’s missed him.

Dean chuckles, “Of course, man. All in due time.”

“H–husband?” Sam manages, no judgment in his tone.

“Don’t be silly,” Cas interjects wrapping an arm around Dean's hips and pulling him close. “We’ve only just met. Well, in person anyway. I almost died, you almost died, Minerva did die.... But she’s back now... Maybe, maybe we can come back to this after the adrenaline fades and Dean learns how to make a decent cup of tea...”

“Oh yeah?” Dean smiles “Tea, huh?”

“Affirmative.” Cas grins and Dean swoops in to kiss him again. Cas’ hands slide up Dean’s neck, cupping his jaw, fingers dancing along the edges of his ears….

“What…?” Cas pulls back plucking the wax from Dean’s right ear and frowning at it. “Why?”

“Yeah… about that….” Dean watches realization dawn over Cas’ features. He rolls his eyes, an animated motion that involves his entire head and shoulders. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Cas says and Dean beams.

“Yeah, I am. I’m fucking adorable.”

“You guys are gross, I’m trying to recover from possession here. Would you like… _ go?”  _ Sam’s eyes droop and Dean rests a hand on his knee. 

“We won’t be far,”

“I know, I know…” Sam yawns and the little bot, Chiron, beeps angrily at Dean’s side. He moves and Chiron gives Sam an injection which has him slipping back to sleep.

Many hours later, Dean leans over the edge of the bed and lifts the tablet with his brother’s vitals on it. Everything's good, Sam’s safe, he’s home, and even Nox is recovering. Though, the extent of damage done to Nox’ mental state isn’t clear yet. 

_ “Deeeaan,” _ Cas groans, rolling over and tossing his arm across Dean’s hips. He’s warm and soft when he presses his bare body against Dean’s. There are Dark bruises curling up from his wrists, wrapping around his forearms from where the cables clung to tightly to him. The sight of them makes Dean’s stomach clench. “I told you, Minerva will notify us immediately if anything changes in either of their conditions.”

“I thought you said that to get me into your bed.” Dean ducks his head feeling sheepish. 

“I’d never lie to you. I’d certainly never lie to you about your brother.” Dean can feel Cas’ frown against his shoulder. “Though, had I known getting you into my bed would be this….”

“Amazing? Life changing? Spectacular?” Dean offers, setting the tablet aside and rolling over in the cage of Cas’ arms. 

“I was going to say pleasurable, but all of those work as well,” Cas grins and Dean places a kiss to his forehead. “I would have tried a lot harder to get you here sooner.”

“Sure you would have,” Dean jokes, his fingers stroke down Cas’ arm, running gently over the bruises and cuts now adorning his otherwise smooth skin. His concern melts away under a wave of warmth when Cas rolls his hips forward, nestling a leg between Dean’s and pressing a wet kiss to Dean’s shoulder. Cas’ hard dick presses against Dean’s hip and that is a particular problem that Dean is more than willing to handle right now.

With a twist, Dean rolls them until Cas is on his back, bright blue eyes glowing softly up at Dean in the dim light of his bed. 

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“You bastard,” Dean growls pulling Cas to him and kissing all over his face and neck and chest.

“Does that make me Leia?”

“I guess so,” Cas says, his voice light, his hands sliding down Dean’s back to cup his ass.

“Eh, I’m good with it. Badass warrior princess turned rebel General? Can’t go wrong.”

Cas laughs, and it’s one of the best sounds Dean’s ever heard him make. Well….there’s one other sound Dean might enjoy more... he dips low, hitching Cas’ legs up and finds where he’s warm and slick and slides home smoothly. Cas arches, eyes fluttering closed; he moans, long and low and  _ yeah… _ That’s the best sound Dean’s hypersensitive ears have ever heard, and it’s all his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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**Author's Note:**

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